The Gridiron Breakdown: NFL Conference Championships

It's the end of the run for teams in the AFC and NFC teams. This the ticket to punch for the Super Bowl in a couple weeks. We get the top seeds in both conferences squaring off for the title.

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP
Los Angeles Rams @ New Orleans Saints
Sunday, January 20, 3:05 PM ET - FOX
The New Orleans Saints are the most consistent and complete team in the NFL this season. The offense can be dynamic with Drew Brees and Michael Thomas in the passing game. The running game can be brutal with Alvin Kamara, Mark Ingram, and that outstanding offensive line. Don't sleep on the defense either. The Saints have bottled up several outstanding units this year. The Los Angeles Rams have a fabulous offense as well. Todd Gurley and the Rams line have led a fantastic rushing attack while Jared Goff and a cadre of receiving threats gave opposing teams fits. The Rams defensive front is great; Aaron Donald, Ndamukong Suh, and crew are a havoc unit. When these teams played in early November, the Saints exposed what is the Rams biggest issue - the defensive backfield - and jumped out to a big lead. That's the Saints best plan against such a dynamic team and that weakness is the one place they can create problems for the Rams. Los Angeles has a good chance here if they can control the line of scrimmage and clock they way they did against the Cowboys. That is a lot easier to say than do against the Saints defense. New Orleans is at home. Brees and company are just too good for me to pick against them here, but I think it's a close game.

New Orleans Saints 34, Los Angeles Rams 27

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP
New England Patriots @ Kansas City Chiefs
Sunday, January 20 6:40 PM ET - CBS
It's going to be cold - really cold - in Arrowhead Stadium for the AFC Championship Game. There's a lunar eclipse happening. And the Patriots are looking at a chance for an eleventh (11th!) trip to the Super Bowl and the ninth (9 times!) for the Belichick-Brady era. All that is standing in their way is the most dynamic offense and quarterback in the league. What Patrick Mahomes is doing from that position is the poster example of how the wide-open college-style offense has infected (what a word) the NFL game. Fact is Mahomes is surrounded by playmakers all over the field (Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, Travis Kelce) and Andy Reid deploys his QB and those guys in creative ways to generate points. Damien Williams has emerged at RB after Kareem Hunt's disciplinary exit this season. The Chiefs defense is another story. Until last week when they absolutely stymied the Colts, this unit was a huge liability. The KC defense stacked the box to take away the Colts rush game and got pressure on Andrew Luck who didn't have time to unload deep passes. That's not how the Patriots roll though. New England has reinvented itself so many times with Tom Brady at the QB spot but there most dangerous form is the one they have now. The Patriots use short, quick passes to dink and dunk down the field to James White and Julian Edleman. This eliminates the pass rush because Brady gets rid of it so fast (and we all know the deep ball isn't really in his game at this age). But make no mistake, the Patriots can line up in 21 or 22 personnel and pound the ball with RB Sony Michel between the tackles as good as any team. New England's defense hasn't been its usually dominate self but they are fast and their coaching staff is the best at taking away the opponent's favorite piece and forcing the game pace. The weather isn't going to matter as both teams are used to playing in these frigid conditions. Experience is what matters here. For all the bells and whistles of the Chiefs offense, that defense is a liability. And having such a big liability against the best tactician to ever walk the sidelines with greatest quarterback of all time is a too tall a hill to conquer.

New England Patriots 27, Kansas City Chiefs 24